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THR Recovery

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Today is six weeks, where did the time go? Yesterday I bought a better cane. My old wooden one with a curved handle (I am a New England girl, we make do) was hurting my hand and wrist too much even though my wrist is titanium and screws from a prior fall caused by a tiny pebble on a hill. Well, what a difference this new cane, properly adjusted, is. My pelvis is much happier. My knee is happier. My wrist and arm and shoulder are happier. Walking is much more comfortable and today I can raise my operated leg a few inches into a clam shell. So good to see progress. I am celebrating with a preventative ice pack, a chair, and a good book on the porch. Good wishes to all of you.
 
LoyalD said:
I am not at a place where I am glad I had this surgery. Everything is so tight, I keep hoping the next day is when I wake up and, shaman, everything has released. I hate hate sleeping and used to adore its. In fact, my biggest reward so sties was a long night sleep on a Saturday night, that is what I thought would happen in recovery, glorious 10 hour recovery sleeping.....not.
Click to expand...

That just shows you how different all of our recoveries are. First the for time in many many months, I am sleeping solidly for 6 hours with no waking...and it is what I was hoping for. I am still on pain meds so I rarely make it through the night w/o taking another pill, but still, 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep is just pure bliss. :sleep:
 
[Bonesmart.org] Recovery
@lovetowalk, so glad that getting a new cane has improved things for you so much. It just goes to show that there are times when we should pamper ourselves and not just make do.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.
 
Seven weeks today. Now I can easily ride the exercise bike 20 minutes and don't lean heavily on my cane. Yesterday I walked up two flights of stairs correctly because I forgot to do unoperated leg first. Tylenol is only twice a day now and muscle tone is coming back. The gluteus medius and abductors still need work to be back, but that will come. The best thing is that I am not always thinking about the hip. I think about it a lot and protect it, but it is coming along. Of course there are aches and pains, but things are looking up. Still not driving because I have a standard and my left hip was done, but that will be soon.
 
[Bonesmart.org] Recovery
update, @lovetowalk. As you can see, things are just getting better and better for you. And they will continue to improve steadily day by day.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.
 
Does anybody out there do spin classes? I was doing three or four every week before my surgery in June. I know I will be able to cycle outside, but what have your docs said about spin class? I spoke with four docs before surgery. Three said definitely ok to spin and one said no. What have you been told? Four PTs have said it is ok. Physically I will be able to do it, but I don't want to do anything stupid.
 
@lovetowalk, I don't do spin classes but I was doing long rides (30+ miles) on the stationary bike right up to surgery, and I ride at a pretty good clip, at a high level. My OS cleared me for work, gym/bike, and driving, at 13 days out. That night I rode 15 miles on the stationary bike and had absolutely no problem with it. It felt great. Both my surgeon and my PT folks have told me that the bike will be my best friend in recovery - so I think you should be just fine.
 
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@lovetowalk, there are been several members, can't remember who off the top of my head (old age thing), but I don't recall that they had any problems. Just start out slow and increase in increments.
 
8 weeks today! I can finally walk without a limp so am done with the cane. YIPPEE! Taking it easy on exercise and walking around the block a couple of times a day. I still don't trust the hip for some reason. I still have PT and I do what they want me doing. When I do it at home I reduce it by a lot so that other issues don't pop up. All in all things are a lot better. I am constantly aware of the hip, but that will change over time. Definitely the soft tissue is better. It will take a long time to be back to what will be a new normal, but that's o.k. Right now it is wonderful to be able to walk again.
 
I do spin classes. I started back at 12 weeks post op and it was fine. Before I started back, i did the stationary bike at my own pace, working up to 45 minutes. Then I went back to spin. I have been an avid spinner for a long time. When I went back, I took it easy at first, just did 30 minutes and left before class was over. My instructor (in fact, the whole class!) knew I was recovering and I just went at my own pace. Now I am back in full force. I don't do a lot of jumps. But, I easily keep up with the class. I love spin. I always feel better after my class. I am now about 4 1/2 month post op. I'm really feeling better just this week after suffering with thigh pain for months. Spin has actually helped with my pain, I think.


Debbie
LTHR 3/20/14
Posterior-lateral approach
 
@Dmcfad2 Thanks for your reply. I see we are the same age, just different coasts of the country! Every doc and PT has told me I can spin again. In fact, they really think that what he said is odd. I know I will be ready very soon. My OS says it is too much pounding and will wear down the hip. Other docs told me spinning was fine. Mine said the gym bike and road biking (even in the mountains of NH roads) would be fine. Longer rides of 30 miles or so would also be ok. He said spinning is too fast. That does not make sense to me because road biking is the same RPM's as spinning. Anyhow, he has moved to a different practice and my next follow up will be with another doc. @Josephine what do you think about spinning?
 
Thank you, Josephine, and thank you for tagging him. This recovery process would have been so much harder without you! It helped so much to know what is within normal limits and that I could take it slow and easy. It really made all the difference.
 
I have had no problem teaching Spinning classes post-THR. None of the participants in my classes even suspect that I have an artificial hip.

My OS never discouraged it. In fact, he said that it was the perfect exercise for an artificial hip. My suggestion would be to ease into it. As you develop confidence in your new hip, I bet you'll forget it's even there.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
 
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Today is nine weeks. Although there is a lot of soft tissue healing to go I can finally walk again. Today I walked over a mile on a dirt road with hills. No cane! I need to concentrate when I get tired so that I don't limp. The clicking is almost gone although I still feel a little out of line. I still take 1000mg. of Tylenol 2 or 3 times a day unless I forget. I definitely know that I am not recovered yet and that I have to be patient. I use massage, ice, stretching,and elevation, and rest.

Finally there seems to be a light at the end of this tunnel as the muscles strengthen. I have kept a little activity/pain/improvement journal and in that way the progress is obvious. I am tired of being aware of the hip and my gait all the time, but that is the way it is for right now. Not there yet, but things are looking up. It is so good to walk even a mile. That mile was as much an accomplishment as running ten miles on the same hilly roads. It sure has been as much work both mentally and physically.
 
[Bonesmart.org] Recovery
@lovetowalk, you're only 2 months post op. It is still early days, but you're doing very, very well. Think back to how it was before surgery---how long did it take that hip to need surgery. Can't expect it to bounce back immediately though that's what we'd all like :heehee:.

In another 2 months, you'll probably have that gait thing down pat and limping will be a thing of the past. The secret to recovery is TIME & PATIENCE. You gotta have or find the PATIENCE to give that hip TIME to get to the finish line. The main thing is that you WILL get there!

Take care and keep us posted. We care.
 
Here I am at twelve and a half weeks. My husband says I walk without a limp. Although I am not 100 per cent recovered yet I realize how very much I had given up because of my hip. Today I went to the grocery store and did several other errands that I would not have done before. I am almost ready to cycle on the bike path, but am being very careful to not over do things. After a lifetime of exercise I doubt that taking it easy now is going to hurt. The last two days....no Tylenol needed which is nice. The back pain I had before the surgery is gone, too. Things are looking up. Be well.
 
@lovetowalk, it's amazing how much we give up to hip pain. It takes a while to reclaim it. I'm so proud of your recovery progress and your awareness that you are not completely healed but are getting closer every day. Way to go!


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